Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini

From October 25, 2013 to November 9, 2013

“The performance was magisterial in every way” – wrote Norwegian daily Dagbladet when Madama Butterfly had its premiere in autumn 2012. Director Stephen Langridge sets Puccini’s opera in Japan in the years immediately following World War Two. American soldiers are occupying the country and there is desperate poverty and mass prostitution. Against this scenario, Butterfly and Pinkerton meet – she with a dream of the freedom that America represents, he with a longing for the exotic Far East, and both of them on a collision course with reality.

First act

B F Pinkerton, a young American naval officer, hasrecently arrived in Japan. He has bought a house, a wife and servantsfrom a Japanese business man called Goro. The house purchasecontract is for 999 years, but can be abandoned at any moment. Themarriage contract is similarly loose.Goro runs through the order of the ceremony – which will beminimal – and lists who will be there: officials, family; a total of about two dozen.

The American Consul, Sharpless arrives. He is there both in his officialcapacity for the formalities, and as a friend of Pinkerton’s family. Sharpless councils Pinkerton to be careful not to hurt the Japanese girl. Stop fussing, says Pinkerton, and raises a glass to when he eventuallymarries an American girl in a real wedding. Goro rushes in and tells them the bride and her friends are coming. Pinkerton and Butterfly exchange stilted formalities. Butterfly is at pains to relate how she is from a family that used to be wealthy, but whom disaster reduced to poverty – the women in her family forced to work as Geishas. She says she is fifteen. Soon the rest of the family and the registar arrive.

Away from the celebrations Butterfly shows Pinkerton the few things she would like to keep with her in her new life: they include the sword with which her father committed suicide, and Otake, sacred representations of her ancestors. Butterfly reveals that she has secretly been to the Christian mission, that she wishes todesert Shintoism and follow Pinkerton’s God – and to prove it shethrows away the Otake. The wedding ceremony itself is rapid, and once the papers are signed Sharpless and the Registar leave.

Pinkerton wants to get rid of the guests too, and as fast as possible, but his efforts are thwarted by the arrival of another Uncle, the Bonzo, a Shinto priest. He knows that Butterfly has been to the Christian mission and furiously accuses her of abomination. He and her whole family curse Butterfly and leave. Alone for the first time together, Pinkerton comforts Butterfly who isshaken by the violent turn of events at the wedding. Under a beautiful night sky they manage to laugh about the chaos of their wedding, and become increasingly lost in their passionate exchanges

Second Act

Pinkerton has left for America, promising that he will return when the robins next build their nests. But 3 years have passed and Butterfly and Suzuki, the maid, are running out of money. The Consulhas continued to pay the rent, but there is no word from Pinkerton. Butterfly watches every US ship that arrives in the port in case it is his.Suzuki fears the worst and points out that it has never been known for one of these foreign husbands to return, but Butterfly insists that he will return if she keeps the faith.

Goro arrives with Sharpless, who has a letter from Pinkerton asking him to prepare Butterfly for bad news. But his attemps to read theletter are interurped at first by an over excited Butterfly – who misinterprets the letter as good news – and then by the arrival of Yamadori, awealthy man who is offering to marry her. Deserted women are acceptedas divorced, explains Goro. Not in her country, America, says Butterfly. She rejects Yamadori.

Sharpless decides to speak directly rather than read Pinkerton’s letter. What would she do if Pinkerton never came back? He advises herto accept the marriage offer from Yamadori. Butterfly runs from theroom and returns with her baby. It is Pinkerton’s, born after he left, and about which he knows nothing. He might forget her, says Butterfly,but he will return for his son. Sharpless promises to tell Pinkerton about the child. The canon sounds from the port announcing the arrival of a ship.It is Pinkerton’s. Butterfly and Suzuki prepare to welcome him back:they decorate the house with flowers and lanterns, and Butterfly dressesas she was on her wedding day. Night falls and still he doesn’t arrive.Butterfly remains awake all night. By the morning she is exhausted, andSuzuki tells her to sleep, that she will wake her when he arrives. While she sleeps, Sharpless arrives with Pinkerton. They have comeearly so that they can ask Suzuki to help tell Butterfly the truth.Suzuki sees a woman with them and asks who it is. It is Pinkerton’swife, Kate. Sharples asks Suzuki to talk with Kate, explaining that she is a kind person who will look after the child properly. Suzukiis astounded that they would ask a mother to give up her child, butagrees to the conversation. Pinkerton is filled with remorse. He doesn’t have the courage to stay and face Butterfly, prefering to leave it to Sharpless and Kate. Heasks Sharpless to give her some money, and rushes away. Butterfly wakes. She is frightened to see Sharpless and not Pinkerton,and demands to know if he lives, if he will return. Suzuki tells hertruth. Butterfly sees Kate, and understands quickly that this is his new wife. Kate asks her to give up the child. Butterfly says that she will give the child only to Pinkerton himself. Tell him to return in half an hour,she says, and he can take the child. Sharpless and Kate leave.Alone, Butterfly prepares to end her life. She looks her child inthe eyes for the last time hoping that somehow he will always rememberher, then blind folds him, and kills herself with the same sword her father had used.When Pinkerton returns for the child she is already dead. But what happened to their child? Did he live a full life in America? Was he curious about his roots? Did Pinkerton ever tell him about his mother, her life and her death? Or did he have to wait until his father’sdeath to piece together the distant memories and fragments of evidence he could find?